Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper

Award-winning food writer Fuchsia Dunlop went to live in China in 1994, and from the very beginning vowed to eat everything she was offered, no matter how alien and bizarre it seemed to her as a Westerner. In this extraordinary memoir, Fuchsia recalls her evolving relationship with China and its food, from her first rapturous encounter with the delicious cuisine of Sichuan Province, to brushes with corruption, environmental degradation and greed. In the course of her fascinating journey, Fuchsia undergoes an apprenticeship as a Sichuanese chef, attempts, hilariously, to persuade Chinese people that 'Western food' is neither 'simple' nor 'bland', and samples a multitude of exotic ingredients, including dogmeat, civet cats, scorpions, rabbit heads and the ovarian fat of the snow frog. But is it possible for a Westerner to become a true convert to the Chinese way of eating? In an encounter with a caterpillar in an Oxfordshire kitchen, Fuchsia is forced to put this to the test.From the vibrant markets of Sichuan to the bleached landscape of northern Gansu Province, from the desert oases of Xinjiang to the enchanting old city of Yangzhou, this is an unforgettable account of the world's most amazing culinary culture.

A modern classic by Britain's foremost expert on Chinese food.

Follow Fuchsia on her fascinating journey of discovery as she explores China and its culture through first-hand experiences of the country's extraordinary culinary customs.

The award-winning cook and food writer vows to eat everything offered to her on arriving in China (however unusual!), covering an eclectic range of weird and wonderful dishes, from dog meat, civet cats, scorpions and rabbit heads, to the ovarian fat of the snow frog!

In this unforgettable food and travel memoir spanning the vibrant markets of Sichuan to the desert oases of Xinjiang, Fuchsia seeks to discover if it's really possible for a Westerner to become a true convert to the Chinese cuisine ...

Vorwort
This is the story of an English girl who went to China to learn the language, but whose love of food led her down a very different path...

Autorentext

Fuchsia Dunlop was the first Westerner to train at the Sichuan Higher Institute of Cuisine, and has been travelling around China and collecting recipes for more than two decades. Her previous books include the Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook (Ebury 2006), Sichuan Cookery, Every Grain of Rice: Simple Chinese Home Cooking and Land of Fish and Rice. She speaks, reads and writes Chinese, and she lives in East London.

Zusammenfassung
A modern classic by Britain's foremost expert on Chinese food.Follow Fuchsia on her fascinating journey of discovery as she explores China and its culture through first-hand experiences of the country s extraordinary culinary customs. The award-winning cook and food writer vows to eat everything offered to her on arriving in China (however unusual!), covering an eclectic range of weird and wonderful dishes, from dog meat, civet cats, scorpions and rabbit heads, to the ovarian fat of the snow frog! In this unforgettable food and travel memoir spanning the vibrant markets of Sichuan to the desert oases of Xinjiang, Fuchsia seeks to discover if it s really possible for a Westerner to become a true convert to the Chinese cuisine